FORMER Manchester United wonderkid Marnick Vermijl has ditched professional football to become a postman.
Vermijl, now 32, was part of an impressive Red Devils academy generation.
The defender featured for United academy sides alongside the likes of Paul Pogba, Jesse Lingard, Ravel Morrison and Michael Keane – having impressed Ole Gunnar Solskjaer while turning out for Standard Liege’s youth team.
He even earned a first team debut under Sir Alex Ferguson, featuring in a starting XI also including Wayne Rooney as the Red Devils beat Newcastle 2-1 in a September 2012 League Cup tie.
Full-back Vermijl did not feature again under Ferguson, and went on to spend the 2013-14 season on loan at Eredivisie side NEC Nijmegen.
He made one more outing for Man Utd, in the disastrous 4-0 League Cup defeat by MK Dons under Louis van Gaal, before departing Old Trafford permanently in 2015.
Spells at Sheffield Wednesday, Preston and Scunthorpe United followed in the EFL.
Vermijl then left England in 2019, moving to Dutch side MVV Maastricht.
A year later, after not having his contract renewed by MVV amid the coronavirus pandemic, Vermijl decided to drop down to the Belgian third-tier to play for Thes – with family at the heart of his decision.
The transfer saw him link up with brother Laurens.
While his newfound semi-pro status allowed him to become a postman, which Vermijl enjoyed.
As quoted by Belgian outlet Nieuwsblad, he explained: “I was fed up with professional football.
“You are too dependent on the trainer you have. Finding pleasure was also a big factor for me.”
Father to a daughter and a son, Vermijl also loves being able to spend plenty of time with his kids.
He added: “As a postman I have to get up at four o’clock, but now I am home around noon and can pick up the children from school every day.
“That is a luxury.”
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